3.24

Silence.

A defeaning silence invaded the place. Several onlookers gasped and was shocked by this sudden revelation. Slowly, everyone turned their eyes to the quiet second prince.

Like the sparrow, they can't see other emotion from the prince even if this accusation has been stated, he was still calm and gentle.

Perceiving the quietness of the crowd, Qiao Chen frowning face turned serious, "However, I found it very funny on what actual basis the Emperor had assembled in order to reach at that conclusion. As far as I remember, I and his highness, the second prince, had no actual contact. Does it seem like rather suspicious? Your grace can ask the second prince if we both have a clandestine meeting."

The opinions and conclusions was different in each perspective. Noises that was giving silent innuendos gradually sounded.

With a firm face, Judge Deng turned his eyes to the second prince, "Your highness, are you having a secret affair with one of the Emperor's sparrow?"

Many waited for the calm prince to answer. The expression on his face was attentively examined by many onlookers.

Yong An shifted his cold eyes to the sparrow. It seems like a spark of cold fire eventually emitted as two eyes collided. No one was willing to surrender to submission. Little by little, Yong An gave the sparrow a faint smile.

This was definitely a trap set by the beautiful sparrow.

Once he denies the accusation... he will avoid the public's conjectures, howbeit, the judge, officials and ministers will find his refusal skeptical.

As well as confessing means the sparrow will win the game.

What a cheap trick. If ordinary man will face this kind of situation, they will soon fall for the sparrow's schemes, nonetheless Yong An was no ordinary.

He rose from his seat, "Your grace, this prince will never deny that I had once seen the young master Qiao alone, but it was the natural law of the country that no man shall approach a sparrow other than the Emperor, himself. It is sad to say that with just a single peeking will reach to this certain point, this prince was saddened by this." His voice sounded sincere, easily hooking the audience into believing his statements.

Qiao Chen lowered his head and let out a mocking smile.

He took the bait!

In the beginning, this trial court situation was fabricated by him in the whole time.

From the believable statements... realistic accusations... and believable witness.

His plan was to make the male protagonist thinks that this outcome was meant to target him.

But in reality, it was only a cover for his real intention.

This whole circumstances purposed was...

"According to the overall information, from the false accusations...and realistic statements. The whole incident was absolutely framing young master Qiao Chen." Judge Deng nodded and turned his face to the whole audience.

There were a loud noises, short gasped and shocked expression in the portion of crowd and nobles.

It was final.

Qiao Chen was pleaded not guilty.

"Wait a second, your grace!" A juvenile raised his hands making everyone silence, "May I speak and ask a question, your grace?"

Judge Deng narrowed his eyes and earnestly scanned the young man who was talking. He frowned and nodded.

Qiao Chen stared coldly at Bai Menxiang.

Bai Menxiang smirked teasingly, "So all this information, and to summarize that, this incident was absolutely meant to framed young master Qiao Chen. Yet, a question still nags me, and I know some of you was also thinking the same way. How would young master Qiao explain that you are the only one with the Emperor that night? Why is it no clue of the instant poisoning has been found? Are we going to end this trial without finding the real culprit?"

Many stiffened by his remarks. Indeed. If this trial end by not finding the real culprit, people will be disappointed by the lack of security. They all forgotten the real purpose of this trial that was mean to find out the culprit, fortunately the young man reminded them.

The audience become quiet again.

Judge Deng had a trouble expression. His gaze traveled to Qiao Chen and Bai Menxiang. If he were to execute the sparrow, the natural law will still abide the people, however he will face the wrath of the Emperor if his judgement was inaccurate. And if he were excused the young sparrow, this will result a rebellion for country's subject thinks that the law doesn't apply on nobles and sparrow.

Judge Deng was torn in between and was experiencing intense crisis. The outcome should be finalized, and the result already bring satisfaction to the audience. But this young man protested and remind them the sudden truth of the dynasty.

He doesn't know if the two had a conflict, but Judge Deng only choice was to find a lead to the real culprit of this incident.

Bai Menxiang grinned, "Chen-ge, with all these information, are you certain that you had no connection in this incident?"

Qiao Chen inwardly frowned. His eyes were emotionless as it glued on the specific sparrow, "It's unreasonable." He paused and turned his head to the audience, "Do you find it rather suspicious that, the Emperor who solemnly believes those rumors about me having an affair and ignored me for the past few weeks, suddenly show out in my chamber unannounced?..."

"Just to collapsed in my embraced? Isn't strange? It was too unfair for me to face this trial when the actual reason was only..."

"I was the one accompanying the Emperor that night."

There were no voices can be heard in the surrounding area. Few sighed and gasped slowly reverberated.

Wen Yang clenched his fist. This was the first time that he felt an immense nervousness flowed down on his body. His eyes stared at Bai Menxiang and Qiao Chen in disbelief.

It was true that he was planning ending the Emperor's life that night and frame Qiao Chen for that. But soon he noticed that his plans was careless and reckless, not only this will alert the whole country, this will also arouse anyone suspicion. That's why he rejects the idea and quickly disregard the poison. He was only going to remind the Emperor to spend all his time to Qiao Chen, but he did not expect that the Emperor will quickly run to the latter's residence.

But now, Qiao Chen believes that he framed him and was the one who poisoned the Emperor. And now, Qiao Chen was using this trial to divulge in public that he was the one who framed Qiao Chen.

Maybe the real culprit's purpose was making them fight each other?

His lips were bitten harshly, drawing a blood near the corner of his mouth. If he were to remain in silence, he will be the one to be executed.

Bai Menxiang was not startled, "Your unequivocal answer deserves a worthy praised. However, how do you know that someone was framing you?"

"Heh. This is very common in human's nature." Qiao Chen said with a chilly smile, "When you are poor, does you not feel envy for those rich people? While you are eating trash foods and wearing old clothes, rich people can just throw those anytime they want. Envy is a very usual caused of conflict. It is not strange if this was also the reason of this incident. Isn't right?" He gave a cold smile to Wen Yang.

"Hah." Yong An secretly chuckled while watching all this interaction.

In other opinions, the two were hostile in each other, and the other was definitely targeting the other sparrow. But if others were to understand each of those conclusions and question... they will find out that the two...

Were absolutely accomplices.

Continuously questioning will trigger and revealed all the information Qiao Chen's wickedly constructed that was restricted by the trial. To need this kind of partnership, the two had certainly a strong bond of loyalty.

When Yong An escape the first trap, the sparrow instantly turned his target to Wen Yang.

It was a smart move, and the sparrow's mind was unpredictable. Once Wen Yang will be executed, the investigator will also find out that the two had an alliance.

Qiao Chen can't scheme against Yong An, that's why he deliberately targeted Wen Yang for a reason that Yong An will be dragged as well. And the sparrow knows that the second prince can't abandon Wen Yang because he had used for him. It was like hitting two birds with one stone.

Very interesting. Yong An's face was surrounded by cold glint.

Wen Yang's face was indescribable. He rose from his seat and shouted, "Your grace! This young master summoned the royal physician to participate in this trial." This was his gamble and his only choice.

Earlier, he assumed that Qiao Chen will put the blame on him, that's why he instantly pleaded for the royal physician to attend at this public trial. The caused of the poison should be announced in public to avoid suspicion by the onlookers.

Judge Deng nodded, "Summon the royal physician!"

The door opened and an old man with a hair full of white strands with a smell of mix medicine appeared.

He bowed at the center, "This one was called, Feng Shin, your grace. And this one was the one responsible for treating his majesty."

"Royal Physician Feng! What is the poison used for the Emperor?"

Feng Shin sighed, "It was a Yali poison, your grace."

Everyone gasped, including some of the higher officials and even judge Deng.

Yali Poison is the most dangerous and strange poison of all the time. It was a silent and unnoticeable kind of drug, that's the effect will not take part even for a year. It will only function when the user's mental health will experience mental breakdown. Not only it will cause disturbance, it will also drain all the life force on the body just for a few days once the poison was activate.

Minister Zhao was dumbfounded, "A-Are you sure?"

Feng Shin nodded, "I ran several tests for the Emperor and the result was still the same. He was poisoned by the Yali poison. That poison slowly consumed the health of his majesty, I'm afraid, if we can't find an antidote. His majesty will die." He turned his eyes to Qiao Chen, "Yali poison was also known as a twin poison. Two persons needed to consume this poison in order to activate the effect. It was used for one-on-one battle in the past, and the one who remain sane at the end will be the winner. I believe the culprit was the other one who took the poison. And I have a method to find the culprit."

"What is it?"

Feng Shin called a servant who was holding a porcelain bowl, "This bowl contains a little amount of his majesty's blood and water. I only need a drip of blood on this, and once the blood turn black, it means that one was the other one who consume the poison and was definitely the culprit."

He first tested Qiao Chen, the blood did not turn black which means that he was innocent.

The soon followed, and the blood still did not turn black.

Feng Shin's face distorted. How is it possible?!

"Are you confident this method is correct?!"

"Y-Your grace... this is indeed a correct method."

"How come that we can't still find the culprit?! Test the servants and commoners! Everyone here should be tested!"

Qiao Chen almost burst in laughter. Hopefully, he had a special skill that remain the calmness of his face.

No matter how many people they will try to test... they will never find the other one who consumed the poison.

In truth, Qiao Chen was the one who poisoned his majesty.

During the Mid-Autumn Hunt, the wine that he prepared for his majesty was contained with poison.

Truly, he was responsible for the fatal health of the Emperor. But he was not the other one who consumed the poison.

It was true that Yali poison can only function if they were taken by two people. It was used as a sport game in the past for a one-on-one game. Furthermore, it triggers mental health, and the one who maintain his sanity will win. But because many people turned crazy by consuming this, the poison was banned by the new ruler of the kingdom.

That's why Qiao Che create many opportunities to poke the mental health of the Emperor in order for the poison to act up. The fake ambiguous relationship he built with the second prince was a calculated move.

And slowly, the poison made the Emperor paranoid, distress and depressed to the point that he had suffered mental breakdown.

He had calculated the weeks... days... and hours for the Emperor to finally collapsed and made his ultimate move.

And the other one who consumed the poison was...

Qi Lan, his servant.

That's why he let the twins go to the temple, in order for Qi Lan to maintain his sanity. The place was calm and safe. That's will make the mental health of Qi Lan relaxed, and no royalties will be able to touch them. And also, the temple can't move against them because Qiao Chen had many methods to destroy them.

"Y-Your grace, all people have been tested, but the bowl did not turn black." Feng Shin paled, "It will leave us no choice but to use an alternative."

"What's the alternative?"

"Because we did not find the other one and the only antidote for this poison was to kill the other consumer, we had no choice but to gather exotic herbs to delay the poison consuming his majesty, until we find the real culprit." Feng Shin seriously stated, "But there is one problem."

Judge Deng had already cracked the calmness on his face, "What is it?"

"All the ingredients will only be found... in the Gu Kingdom."

Silence.

Everyone knows that Gu Kingdom have been hostile in their country. They both considered themselves as nemesis of each other. And now... the only way to save the Emperor was assembling herbs from that kingdom...

"H-His majesty...this will be the end."

"The Emperor will die!"

"There are no hope for his majesty!"

Many panicked immediately. But suddenly, a young man rose from his chair and throw a gold circle thing in front of Feng Shin.

The old man examines the thing thrown at him and exclaimed, "T-This! This is a Gu Kingdom Royal Token!" He turned his head, "Your highness the fourth prince, how did you get this?"

Yong Guan took a peek at Qiao Chen and coldly shifted his eyes to the old man, "I received this token when I accidentally save two of the Gu princes."

"H-How can it be?!"

"The useless prince was actually a strong one!"

"He had a great connection from the other kingdom!"

Qiao Chen faintly chuckled. His face gradually turned more lovely now that his calm face had a slight curved on his lips. He gave a meaningful look at Yong Guan and sincere smiled.

The actual purposed of this trial was to scared Wen Yang and delay all his plans... to put a wariness in the head of the second prince and lastly...

To showcase the strong debt, the other kingdom had for the fourth prince.